The Price of Victory
by wingofpain
Summary: The Jedi thought they were clever, that they had him Revan under their control. However Malak and Revan knew the truth, not that it changed anything since everything went mostly as Revan had expected. And yet, Revan could only feel bitter at having to kill his best friend, a hero that will always be despised by the Republic, even if it was part of the plan since the beginning.


**The Price of** **Victory**

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The duel in Malak's chamber had been harsh, between two deadly foe, one was the former Dark Lord of the Sith, the other the new Dark Lord of the Sith.

The Master and his Apprentice had finally come face to face in a last fight.

From the beginning, they both knew it would come to that.

A fight that would be celebrated for century to come by the republic finally came to an end.

The victor made History, and the Jedi knight, Revan, finally triumphed.

The Good had triumphed over Evil; the Light side of the Force had surpassed once again the Dark side.

And yet, neither the republic nor the Jedi order would ever know the truth, not even Bastilla. No one but the both of them would ever know it.

The Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Malak, and the best friend Revan ever had, laid mortally wounded on the ground, his eyes staring at the ceiling.

No one would ever know it, but both of them were sad that it had to come to this; however none of them felt any regret.

Both of them were sure that they had done what needed to be done.

_"So this it, my friend." The half-man half-cyborg spoke without showing any pain, even though his wounds were profound.

Revan didn't look at him but stared through the window to see how the space battle between the Republic and the Sith flotilla was going on.

As he expected, the republic was winning since Bastilla was using her battle meditation.

_"Yes, Alek, this is the end."

For his friend's end, Revan decided he could use Malak's real name.

Malak should have been dead by now and yet he still lived, it was impossible and yet…there was only one way to explain such a feat, the Force.

Malak was using the Force to keep him alive, such a mastery of the Force was impressive, even for Revan…but meaningless, it would not, could not save Malak for his wounds were too deep.

It could only mean one thing.

_"What do you want to ask Alek?"

Malak didn't laugh and yet, Revan could almost hear him laughing.

_"You were always more perceptive than me, I do have a question for you. How could you predict all of this? Was this the Force?"

He was almost tempted to say yes and keep it at that, and yet he didn't want to lie to his closest friend.

_"No, the Force was silent but I was sure about what the Jedi order would do. They were losing the war and their most promising, and most powerful, Jedis had either defected or died against the Sith. By brain-washing me, a prodigy of the Force and a master of the light saber, not to mention a charismatic leader, I would become their Ace in the Hole."

_"Ah, I see. That's why you asked me to fire at your ship but to not destroy it.

_Yes, this way I could fake my near death-experience and let the Jedis believe they were the puppeteer while they only were the puppet."

His friend couldn't smile physically but managed to smile through the Force, or at least that was what Revan thought he was feeling.

_"I see now, you were as cunning as always. But how did you predict Taris? I really did try to kill you back there."

Revan could only frown at that. Taris had been a surprising experience that had, for one of the rare time in his life, truly scared him for he barely managed to find a ship to escape.

_"I didn't Alek. It truly surprised me and I barely managed to escape, I must say that while the method was crude it was effective. It was so very like you though."

Coming from any other person than Revan, it would have been an insult, but Malek took it for what it was, a compliment.

And for the first time in years he laughed, even though there was nothing funny about the situation.

And after a few minutes of Malak's laughing, the Dark Lord decided to ask what truly troubled him.

_"It had been quite a ride my friend, I am glad I have been able to go with you this far in your plans to stop the Emperor of the Sith. Do you think it will be enough?"

The now 'redeemed' Jedi really wanted to say yes, to assure his dying friend that his death wouldn't be meaningless but he couldn't for he refused to lie to Malak.

_"Even though you played your role to the perfection, I truly do not know, but I hope it will be enough. And even if it isn't enough the Republic will be in a far better situation than before.

_Good, I am glad I could help, even if I had to be the scourge of the republic."

To a non-Force sensitive user, it would have been a sentence full of regret, even if the tone had been nothing but neutral.

However to a Force user, the sentence was not said with any trace of regret for the simple reason that Malak didn't feel any regret.

But it didn't mean that Revan didn't feel any sadness for Malak.

_"For all it is worth Alek, I am sorry; I know that few love the Republic more than you do. But you were the only one that could do this role and not break."

The only one in who Revan had full faith, both as a friend and as a capable Jedi warrior.

_"Don't beat yourself over it Revan, it was necessary and I am glad I could help the Republic and, more importantly, you." The unmoving Dark Lord, sprawling on the ground, said with a steeled voice full of conviction.

No one would have believed that Darth Malak should have been dead for already five-minute if they were only listening to his voice and not looking at his wounds.

But even the Force had its limits and while Darth Malak was one of the most powerful Force users of his generation, second to only Revan, even he had reached its limits.

He only had a few seconds to live and both knew it.

And before Revan could reassure him about his sacrifice, Alek said his farewell:

_"Revan…If the Force allows us to be reborn, let's be Brothers a second time."

And his eyes still open, Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith and unknown hero of the Republic, died without hearing his friend answer.

Revan closed his eyes, his mind fighting to not let out the few tears he had left in his body. Alek had always been the most sentimental, the most passionate of them.

_"Brothers, huh? I guess that I, too, considered you the same. Farewell, Alek, and I hope that the Force will fulfill your wish." Revan said out loud, with no one to answer him but the silent room.

After a few second of silence the lone warrior turned toward the control of the Star forge and activated the Auto-destruction.

If he ran fast enough, maybe he would stop feeling remorse from what his plans had done to his best friend, to his brother by all but blood.

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**AN: A quick explanation of the fic. I always felt that something was off in Kotor (but I really really liked the game^^). I mean, isn't it a little too conveniant that Malak do not send a bunch of Elite assassins being lead by his apprentice and a dozen mercenaries right at the first stellar map if he wanted Revan dead? I mean, the only thing Malak send are his apprentice, six sith and calo north to kill his previous master.**

**And it is not like said Dark Lord is winning the war and have dozen of ships that are doing absolutly nothing.**

**He couldn't expect them to win? So everything but Taris, and a few others events; were planned out beforehand. **

**Yeah, I know that this theory isn't really good but I felt that it is better than Malak being an idiot^^**


End file.
